Improvement in steam-engines



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JOHN HOUPT, OF SPRINGTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA.

LettersgPatent No. 90,265, dated May 18, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN' STEAM-ENGINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the alamo.`

To all whom 'it ma/y concern Be it known that I, 'JOHN HOUPT, of Springtown, county of Bucks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descript-ign of the same.

Myinvention consists of apparatus, fullyv described hereafter, for superheating and equalizing the pressure of the exhaust-steam of a high-pressure steamengine, to be again used in driving a second engine.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and-operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of apparatus, constructed according to my invention; and

`Figure 2, a sectional plan view of the same, on the line 1-2, g. l. 'p

A A represent the side walls of a furnace, between which are the usual grate-bars a, and resting upon the top of this furnace, directly over the fire-place, is an upright cylindrical casing B, closed at the top, and furnished with a pipe, b, g. 2, through which the smoke and other products ,of combustion can pass to the chimney.

A cylindrical reservoir, C, of a diameter less than that of the casing B, is suspended within the latter in such a position that its curved bottom c shall be in close proximity to the nlire, and so that annular space, d, shall intervene between its sides and the said casing.

Two pipes, h and t', pass through the outer casing B,-at points about opposite to each other, and cornmunicate with the interior of the reservoir O, for a purpose described hereafter.

F is a cylinder, which is contained partly within the reservoir C and partly within the casing B, it being closed at the top, but open at the bottom, where there is a pipe, j, provided with avalve, or stop-cock, Z, whigh is operated from without the casing by a rod, m g. 2.

A piston, H is arranged to slide freely within the cylinder F, its iod p passing through the upper end of the said cylinder, and having secured to it a weight, q.

Two pipes, r lr, open at their outer ends, communicate with the interior fof the cylinder F, at a point above the casing c, and may, it desired, be provided with suitable cocks, or with valves opening outwards.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The exhaust-steam of a high-pressure engine, which it is desired to use a second time in driving a lowpressure condensing-engine, is admitted into the res` ervoir C through the pipe h, and passes from the same through the pipe fi.

As the steam within the reservoir has free access to 4` the interior of thecylinder F, through the opening in the cock l, it will, as its volume increases, have a tendency to raise the piston H, which, however, actuated by its ball q, will bear downward with a pressure proportionate to the weight of the said ball, and will thus maintain the-` steam at an even pressure, providing always that there be a suicient quantity of steam to slightly raise the piston H.

The object of the cock` Z is to so regulate the passage of steam into the cylinder F as to prevent it from raising the piston too suddenly.

If steam should continuato enter the reservoir without being at the saine time drawn off from the same through the pipe t', the pressure would not be increased, as the piston H would gradually rise to such a point as to permit the surplus steam to pass ol through the pipes fr fr.' In this way all liability to accident, arising from an increase of pressure in the reservoir, -is prevented.

- It should be understood that-the pipe his provided with a valve opening toward the reservoir, so that there shall be no back pressure'from the latter to interfere with .theqoperation of the lirst or high-pressure engine.

. Instead ofhaving a separate furnace to'heat the reservoir, the same result might be attained by. cans.-

ing the heated products of combustion from the boiler- A furnace to pass through the casing B,-and around the said reservoir.

witnesses.

J OHN HOUPI.

Witnesses:

JOHN WHITE, HARRY SMITH. 

